Gerard Bradbury News

The ITF in Canada has been making full use of new rights for seafarers to ensure fair treatment and pay. A Japanese-owned, Panama-flagged bulk carrier became the third vessel to be detained in the country under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC), which came into force in August. The Kouyou was detained in Quebec after ITF inspectors found that the crew were owed more than USD51,500 in back pay. ITF inspector Gerard Bradbury said that the 20 crew from Myanmar and Vietnam and the Canadian captain were not being paid or treated properly, in particular with the pay that should have been allotted to their families at home. He also found that crew had paid USD6600 to obtain their jobs, although recruitment fees are illegal under international labour conventions.

Eight crew remain on board after the ship was arrested in October by the ITF, with an outstanding wage claim of more than $300,000 (now $375,000). The vessel, registered in the Cook Islands, was chartered by Canadian company Cruise North, for cruises into the Arctic. The owner claimed to have a buyer lined up, but confirmed he would be abandoning the ship last week. ITF inspector Gerard Bradbury has been helping the crew in their claim, and says they are facing extreme hardship as a result of the abandonment.